Neil Turok Wins Lane Anderson Award

Published by the House of Anansi Press, the book is a compilation of Turok’s CBC Massey Lectures, which were delivered across Canada in 2012. It examines how human curiosity has driven breakthroughs in physics that have shaped our world, and offers a visionary look at how the human mind can shape the future.

The Lane Anderson Award, now in its fourth year, is an annual prize honouring excellence in Canadian science writing. Two awards are given – one highlights a book written for adult readers, the other for children and/or middle grade readers. Authors of the winning books each receive $10,000.

The jury lauded The Universe Within’s unique blend of science and inspiration, saying, “No science story could be bigger or more daunting than this – the origin and future of the universe. But Turok brings a rare humanism to his subject, revealing not only the wonder of the ever expanding universe, out there, but of the universe of compassion and curiosity within ourselves. Ultimately, as he states, ‘Science is about people.’”

In accepting the award, Turok said, “I am thrilled and humbled by this honour. The lectures and the book were my attempt to show that our understanding of the universe connects deeply to our shared humanity – to who we are, and who we can be.”

About Perimeter Institute

Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.